I’ve just got home after running my third Fresh Air Fridays session this month and have been reflecting on our theme which is being present.

So often we spend much of our lives rushing from one place to the next and either thinking about what is next in our plan or ruminating over what went wrong in the past. Then, when we do stop and notice what is around us, our brains are busy making connections for us rather than staying in the current moment.
​

For example, this week has been very muddy and as I played with my foot in the mud feeling the squelch and watching the muddy water go over the top of my boot, I was transported to a memory of being at my grandparents farm when I was a small child. I got stuck in the mud in the farm yard and my red welly wouldn’t come out. I was scared because there were cows close by and I thought I was going to sink into the mud and be walked on by the cows. 

My grandad scooped me up in his arms and bent down to pull out the stuck welly, so all was well. Unfortunately for me, my brain had already registered danger and started up the fight or flight response and this is what happened to me this week as soon as I felt the mud get sticky under my foot. I could feel my heart quicken and my body tense even though I knew I was perfectly safe. 

As soon as I noticed this, I was able to bring myself back to the present and focus on what I could see that I enjoyed. Also, I know as an adult that I am safe and was quickly able to smile at the memory of being with my grandparents. I have been practicing mindful walking and staying in the present moment for a while so am able to use these skills whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed by things going on around me.
​
However, I do find it hard to be mindful, my mind is often busy with thoughts of my day and ideas for projects which makes it challenging for me.

Since finding Fresh Air Fridays and doing more mindfulness practice outdoors, I’m finding it much easier to be present and stay in the current moment. 
​
A lot of our pain and discomfort comes from thinking about the past or future and taking time to be present in the current moment gives us a break from this. Tuning into your senses whilst outdoors is a great way to start learning how to be present. For example, next time you go out for a walk spend a few minutes noticing what you can see, then switch your attention to what you can hear and finally to what you feel. If your mind wonders, it doesn’t matter, the fact that you have noticed this is the first step in becoming more mindful.

We spend some time on all our Fresh Air Fridays sessions being present and enjoying our surroundings. Get in touch if you’d like to come along and try out a session.

Fresh Air Fridays in January - Reflections on Filling Yourself Up First  
For many, last week was the first full week back at work since the Christmas break and it may have been a challenge, leaving you feeling stressed, and made even more difficult by doing your best to keep new year’s resolutions. On Friday morning the weather was murky and misty, not an ideal start for Fresh Air Fridays in 2018 and welcoming two visitors, yet I knew that as soon as I got outdoors I would connect with my surroundings and feel much more relaxed.
 
This month during my Fresh Air Friday sessions we have been talking about filling ourselves first.  Many of us are brought up to believe that we need to put the wants and desires of others before our own. This may be fine for a while, but long term is unsustainable and works for nobody. When we spend time re-charging our own batteries and doing the things we need for our own wellbeing, then we can support and give to others. It is a bit like the safety briefing on a plane where they tell you to put on your own oxygen mask before helping others.  
 
I've run two session this month and discussed this theme with my members and visitors, here are some of my thoughts and reflections from what we experienced.
 
As soon as I stopped and took time to do some deep breathing, I noticed my surroundings and the number of birds that were singing, I had not noticed this until I stopped being busy doing and spent some time just being. This was made even better by taking time to be present to my surroundings; this meant I could forget about my ever growing to do list, worrying about what might happen in the future or dwelling on something which had bothered me previously and just enjoy being in the current moment.
 
For the first of my two sessions this month, we went to the roman wall at Silchester. It was fabulous to stop and look at the structure of the roman wall, wonder where the stone had come from and marvel at how long it has been there.
 
I soon noticed people on the session who had arrived saying they felt stressed and looking a bit distracted, had calmed down, forgotten about their mobile phones and were taking time to enjoy talking about the things they love to do. We talked about what we love doing, things that help us fill ourselves with energy. There were many varied things and just talking about them made us all smile.
 
What stops us doing those things that fill us up?  Lots of I should, or I must statements, our feelings of obligations to others and putting needs of others above our own. One person commented that it is often her husband who notices when she is doing too much and needs to do something for herself.
 
On Saturday I walked on the Basingstoke canal with a member, we have both experienced the session on filling yourself first previously, yet we noticed that each time we revisit the subject we gain new insights and have new ideas. Today we spoke about some simple things like taking a few minutes out to read a book or going to bed earlier to give ourselves time to relax, enjoy reading and get to sleep early enough to have a good nights’ sleep.
 
Just being on the session was giving all of us time and space to recharge our batteries. In every Fresh Air Fridays session, we start with a deep breathing exercise, this is an immediate and easy way of calming the body. It was very noticeable the difference in everyone after taking a couple of minutes to just breathe deeply.
 
Another idea that came up was that filling yourself first doesn’t have to be an individual activity, it could involve doing something as a family or a couple. Things that we thought about were visiting a museum, going to an art gallery and visiting a spa. One of the most relaxing days out I had recently was going to the British library with one of my daughters to see the Harry Potter History of Magic exhibition. It was fascinating getting insights into the history of magic and feeling you were stepping into the shoes of JK Rowling as she sat with a cup of tea and created the stories and characters in the Harry Potter series.
 
Back to our Fresh Air Fridays session, following a refreshment stop with a hot drink and snack we did a short meditation and then talked about what actions we would take this month to make sure we are taking care of ourselves. 
 
Finally, we took a few minutes to consider what we are grateful for. By focusing on the positive things in our lives we are training our brains to look for positives and have a positive mindset. This can be difficult when life is challenging but just being grateful for the small pleasures in life is enough to change our mindset longer term. This weekend I am grateful for the fact that I found Fresh Air Fridays and I have rediscovered some of the things I love to do that I've been neglecting.
 
Next month in Fresh Air Fridays we will be talking about and practicing being present. This underpins all our other themes and is something we visit every month and February will be a time to explore it in more depth and really immerse ourselves in staying present.
 
If you would like to come and try Fresh Air Fridays, get in touch with me today.

 
Corrine Thomas